Monday, March 7, 2016

Pasta with Pumpkin Sauce



Ingredients:
Penne Pasta - 2 cups
Pumpkin ( yellow) - 2 cups, cubed
Red Bell Pepper - 1 medium size, roughly chopped
Garlic - 6 cloves + 4 cloves(chopped finely)
Black Pepper Corns - 5
Milk - 1/2 cup
Broccoli Florets - 1 cup
Salt & Pepper
Italian Herbs - 1 tsp
Basil Leaves or Dried Basil - 1 tsp
Cream Cheese - 1 tbspn(optional)
Parmesan Cheese - 1 or 2 tbspns for garnishing
Olive Oil - 4 tbspns


Method:
Cook pasta in the boiling water for 8-10 minutes or until al dente. Strain and keep it aside.
Heat 2 tbspns of olive oil in a pan. Add 6 cloves of garlic and saute for a minute. Add the pumpkin cubes and saute until it turns soft. Add the chopped red bell pepper and pepper corns and saute for few minutes. Let it cool completely. Now add these ingredients in a blender with half a cup of milk and grind them into a paste. Keep it separate.
Again heat 2 tbspns of oil in the same pan. Add the chopped garlic and saute for a minute. Now add the broccoli florets and saute until the veggi turns crispy. Add the cooked pasta, salt and pepper, italian herbs and some basil. Saute well. 
Now add the pumpkin paste and mix it well. Let it boil for a minute. Add the cream cheese (if you are using) and mix it well until the cream cheese melts. Let it cook for a minute.
Transfer to a serving plate and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Inspired from Chef Venkatesh Bhat




Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Vegetable Handi



Ingredients:

Cashews - 3 tbspns (approx 20 to 22)
Hot Water - 1/2 cup
Carrots - 1/3 cup, chopped
Green Beans - 1/3 cup, chopped
Potatoes - 1/3 cup, chopped
Green Peas - 1/3 cup, frozen
Corn Kernels - 1/3 cup, frozen
Cauliflower - 1/3 cup
Paneer Cubes - 1/4 cup
Onion - 1/2 cup, chopped finely
Tomato - 1/2 cup, chopped finely
Garlic - 3 cloves, crushed
Ginger - 1/2 inch, crushed
Coriander Leaves - 1 tsp, chopped
Mint Leaves - 1 tsp, chopped
Water - 1 cup
Low fat cream - 3 tbspns
Yogurt - 1 tbspn
Green Chilies - 1, slit lengthwise
Red Chili Powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/4 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1/4 tsp
Kasuri Methi - 1/2 tsp
Nutmeg - a pinch, grated
Butter - 2 tbspns
Salt - as per taste
Bay Leaf - 1 small
Cloves - 2
Cinnamon - 1/2 inch
Cardamom - 2

Method:

Soak cashews in hot water for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, drain and add the soaked cashews to a grinder or blender. Add the soaked water grind to a very smooth paste. Keep it separate.
Steam the veggies in a pressure cooker, steamer or electric cooker till they are cooked completely. You can also fry or saute the veggies till they are cooked.

Heat butter in a handi or pan. Add the whole spices - cinnamon, green cardamoms, cloves and bay leaf. Saute the spices till fragrant. Add finely chopped onions. Stir and saute the onions on a low flame till they become golden. Then add ginger-garlic paste, chopped coriander and mint leaves. stir and saute for a minute. Add finely chopped tomatoes. Stir and saute till the tomatoes soften.
Then add turmeric powder, red chili powder and coriander powder.
Add the prepared cashew paste and curd. Stir often and saute till you see fat releasing from the sides.
add water. stir. Then add slit green chilies. stir again and let the gravy begin to simmer, takes about 3 to 4 minutes on a low to medium flame. Season with salt.
Add the steamed veggies. Stir well and simmer the veggies in the gravy for 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the nutmeg powder. Then add crushed kasuri methi and garam masala powder. Stir. Lastly add cream. After adding the cream, stir & switch off the flame.
Garnish with chopped coriander or mint leaves and serve vegetable handi with tandoori rotis, naan or parathas.

Inspired from here




Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Peanut and Soy-Sesame Stir Fry Sauces


PEANUT STIR FRY SAUCE
Ingredients:
Rice Vinegar - 1/4 cup
Soy Sauce - 1/4 cup
Granulated Sugar - 2 tsps.
Peanut Butter - 4 tsps.
Water - 2 tbspns
Chili Garlic Paste - 2 tsps ( 2 cloves garlic and 1 medium sized chili crushed )

Method:
Combine everything together and microwave for 20-30 secs. Or heat the sauce in the pan for 3 minutes. Cool and store it in refrigerator.


SOY SESAME STIR FRY SAUCE
Ingredients:
Vegetable Broth - 1/2 cup
Soy Sauce - 1/2 cup
Rice Vinegar - 4 tsps
Sesame oil - 4 tsps
Hot Red Pepper Flakes - 2 tsps
Sugar - 2 tsps
Corn Starch - 1 tbspn dissolved in 4 tbspns of water

Method:
Combine everything together and heat it in a pan for 3-5 minutes until to get a saucy consistency.
Cool and store it in refrigerator.


BROWN RICE WITH STIR FRIED VEGGIES
Ingredients:
Brown Rice - 3 cups, cooked
Peanut Stir Fry Sauce - 4 tbspns
Soy Sesame Stir Fry Sauce - tbspns
Veggies - Sliced Onions, Sliced Peppers, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Zucchini, Baby Carrots, Green Beans approximately 3-4 cups
Oil - 1 tbspn
Salt and Pepper to taste

Method:
Heat the oil in high heat.  Add all the veggies and sauté for 5 minutes. Add some salt and pepper. Now add all the sauces and stir fry all the veggies for 2-3 minutes. Then add the cooked brown rice and sauté for a minute. Transfer to a bowl and serve hot with red chili sauce!! 



Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Layered Mexican Dip/Layered Salad


For the Guacamole;
Ingredients:
Avocados - 1
Red Onion - 1/4 cup, chopped finely
Tomato - 1/4 cup, chopped finely (removing the pulp)
Garlic - 1/4 tsp, minced
Salt and Pepper - to taste
Lime Juice - 2 tbpsns

Method:
Scoop out the avocados and mash it well. Add the remaining ingredients and mix it well.
Keep is aside.



For the Dip;
Guacamole - 2 cups
Sour Cream - 2 cups
Olives - 2 cups, cut into circles
Cilantro - 1 1/2 cups, chopped finely
Spring Onions/Green Onions - 2 cups, cut into circles (only the white parts)
Mozzarella Cheese - 2 cups, shredded
Salsa - 2 cups (optional)

Method:
Take a medium sized (6 cup) rectangular or square dish.
First layer the guacamole. Next layer it with olives. Third layer with the sour cream. Next layer the green onions. Then layer with cilantro and finally end with the cheese.
Refrigerate for atleast 2-3 hours. Serve it with Salsa and Tortilla Chips.





Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Vermicelli Biriyani


Ingredients:
Vermicelli - 1 cup
Mixed Vegetables -   1 cup, chopped (Carrot, Beans, Peas, Potato & Cauliflower)
Ginger Garlic Paste   - 1 tsp
Onion - 1 cup, sliced
Tomato - 1/2 cup, chopped
Green Chili -   3-4 (slit lengthwise)
Curry Leaves -       few
Mint -  2 tbspns, chopped
Coriander Leaves - 2 tbspns, chopped
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Salt - as per taste

To temper;
Oil - 1 tbspn
Bay Leaf  - 2 small
Cinnamon - 1" stick
Clove - 2 
Cardamom Powder  - a pinch

Method:
First roast the vermicelli with few drops of oil till golden brown.
In a vessel add 4-5 cups of water sprinkle some salt and add few drops of oil allow to boil. When the water starts boiling add the roasted vermicelli and cook for only 3 minutes. Drain the water and spread it in a plate to cool and keep aside. 
In a microwave safe bowl add the chopped vegetables, sprinkle little water and cook in microwave for 2 minutes and keep aside ( the vegetables should be cooked 3/4th to retain its crunchiness).
In a pan, heat oil and add clove and bay leaf and fry well. Then add onions and curry leaves sprinkle some salt and keep frying till transparent. Now add ginger-garlic paste and saute till raw smell leaves and add the chopped tomatoes, mint leaves and coriander leaves and stir well.
When tomatoes get soft and mushy add a pinch of turmeric powder, cardamom powder and add the cooked vegetables.
Stir fry for 2 minutes and then add cooked vermicelli. Gently stir fry the vermicelli with vegetables for 1-2 minute and add some more chopped coriander leaves and close the pan with lid and simmer for 3-4 minutes. This helps the vermicelli to incorporate all flavors n taste.
Serve hot with Raita.